Dear diary
by ginnys01
Summary: We all know how Harry coped during the war, but how did Dudley do in hiding?


**AN: one shot written for the QLFC week 6**

**Position prompt: Beater One: War. Write a fic set during a wizarding war (either one we know about or one of your own creation).**

**Additional prompts used:**

**Prompt 2: (quote) 'If the benchmark is extraordinary, what do you do if you're not?' — Vanya Hargreeves, The Umbrella Academy**

**Prompt 12: (action) writing**

**Thanks to my fellow Puddlemere united team members falling winter roses, The Dark Enchantress Ruhi, emryses, JBrocks917 for beta-ing.**

_**Spelling mistakes in the diary/journal entries are intentional, as it is done to show Dudley's not so great spelling. This includes missing apostrophes, missing letters, added letters, swapped letters, missing words and anything else I forgot to mention. I think most words are still clear on what they are supposed to mean. If a word is unclear, please try seeing what it sounds like and if a word with a different spelling might sound the same and fits in that sentence.**_

* * *

Hestia was sitting in an armchair in the corner of the room, writing in her diary. She wasn't impressed by the Dursleys; they had only been here for three days and had already become a nightmare. The adults were mainly arguing, and Dudley, the boy, did nothing but complain. She was waiting for him to start complaining again any moment now.

Hestia sighed. She loves writing in her diary, really, she did, but the Dursleys make it so hard to enjoy the little things. She wrote everything in it, ever since she got a diary from her parents when she left for Hogwarts. "To help with homesickness," her Mum had said. Now, it was even more important. If something happened to her during the course of the war, at least her family would have something of hers to hold on to. She always tried to write the positives down. Of course, the negatives made it in on the bad days, but the focus was always the positives. If her diary ever made it to her family, she didn't want her family to read about how bad her life was. She wanted them to know that she stayed positive. Finding positives with the Dursleys, however, was hard. She sighed. The raised voices of the Dursley couple made it hard to concentrate. She would probably stop trying to write soon and retry when the Dursleys had gone to bed.

"This is boring!" And there you had it, Dudley beginning to complain again. Hestia looked up, unimpressed.

"Find something to do in that case," she replied, turning away. She would lose her temper with the boy sooner rather than later if the parents kept ignoring it.

"There isn't anything to do here. You don't have a TV or computer."

Hestia sighed. She couldn't remember how often she had already said this. "Electricity and magic don't mix. So you'll have to do with books or games." She went back to her diary, intending to ignore the boy. But it wasn't to be.

"What are you doing?" It almost didn't sound like a question.

"Writing in my diary," Hestia answered, wishing she could ignore him. She also hoped that his parents would stop him. They didn't. It was as if they didn't care what he did.

"Sounds boring."

Hestia really wished the boy would just shut up. "It isn't. You should try it." She could see Dudley opening his mouth, just to close it again. Did that mean he was thinking about keeping his own diary?

*hphphp*

_Dear diary, _ _Wendsday 30/7_

_I know diary sounds girly, but I dunno what to call you. Weve been hear less then a week and I'm already bored. I noticed Hestia writing in a diary a few days ago. I've decided that I agree with her, if something happens to me, I don't want to have been just another random kid who died. Hestia says I'm unlikely to be a random kid who dies, after all I'm Harry Potter 's cousin. But that isn't who I want to be either. I want to be more than Harry's mugel cousin._

_And dont get me started on the word mugel. It is the most used word here. Always in a question. They don't even ask us. They ask they wizards. Every single time someone new enters. They give us a look, turn away and ask, "are those the mugels?" Or something similar. Anyway, food's ready, got to go._

_(Love)_

_Dudley_

_P.S. note to self: do not use love, that is way too girly. Don't use the word diary, that's also too girly_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal, Saterday 2/8_

_Now that sounds more manly, just like me. _

_It's still boring here, nothing is happening. The order people are still coming and going. There were a lot of whispers today. I'm not sure what happened, but I heard the words: burrow and weasely a lot. I think the weasely's are Harry's friends. I'm not sure. I hope they are okay. I really hope that we'll have something to do soon. I knew being in hiding wouldn't be the same as being at home, but I didnt know it would be this boring._

_The only thing happening is Mum and Dad fighting. Dad wants to leave. He doesn't think we're in danger. He thinks this is payback from Harry. I don't think so. I met the dementors. Mum thinks they are telling the truth. I believe her, she seems so frightened._

_I wonder how much more she knows about their world._

_Dudley_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal, wendsday 6/8_

_Dedalus is going to teach me chess. He says it will help with the boredom. I'm not sure. Like two people are always needed to play. What do I do when I'm alone? I'll still be bored. Dad isn't happy about it. He and Mum were arguing in the kitchen when Dedalus suggested he teach me. I said yes, it couldn't be more boring than doing nothing, right? Dad thinks that this is a plot by Harry, he keeps going on about it. Mum is hardly hearable in the kitchen, but I'm hearing her say things such as 'Lily' and 'dead'. I think Lily was the name of Harry's Mum, my aunt? I'm not sure. I might ask Mum at some point. Dad stormed into the living room after the row with Mum, he had a massive go at Dedalus for trying to teach me freakish stuff. I thought chess was muggle? Dedalus said he'll bring a muggle board to teach me, and if all goes well, we might change to wizarding chess if Dad's asleep at any point. Hestia said she'll look if she can find any muggle games for us. She said she might know some 1 person games that she could teach me. I'll wait and see, but I'm not getting my hopes up. _

_Dudley_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal, Tuesday 19/8_

_Dad nearly left. He had packed and was about to leave. Hestia stopped him. If he leaves, he can't come back. I don't want him to leave. Why doesn't he believe Mum or me? He keeps going on about the freaks. I'm not sure why Hestia stopped him. They don't like each other, none of the wizards like my Dad. I'm not sure why my father listened either. I really thought he was going to shout at her and walk out. I can tell Mum is scared to. I guess she knows more of what's going on then what she's saying. I want to ask her, but I'm afraid of Dad's reaction. _

_Dudley_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal,_ _Tuesday 2/9 _

_They are whispering again. But this time its ministry and break in that they are saying a lot._

_I'm sure Harry said that the Ministry wasn't to be trusted. I'm not sure if its good whispering or bad whispering. I might ask Dedalus later. Ever since he started teaching me chess he's been okay. _

_Dudley_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal, wendsday 3/9_

_So aparentley Harry and his two friends broke into the ministry. They got away. The wizards are wondering why. Aparentley it was really stupid, the whole ministry is looking for them. Nobody knows why they did it either. But people are also relieved becuse it showed that they are still alive. Aparentley nobody was sure. They appeared and dissapeared. Let's hope that they know what their doing. _

_Dudley_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal, wendsday 17/9_

_Dad is planning to leave, again. He's been saying it more than once in the past weeks. I'm scared he might actually leave this time. He was so close to leaving a month ago. He hasn't gone as far as the door again but I think he will soon. And I don't think that any 1 will stop him this time. He keeps going on about the 'freaks' playing a trick on us. Mum keeps trying to convince him its not, but I don't think its working. I haven't seen Mum this upset before. _

_I've just heard the door slam, I'll be back in a second. _

_He's left. He just packed and left. Mum has started crying, we can't get her to stop. I'm supposed to be packing now. Aparentley we have to move to a new place. Acorrding to Hestia this one is now compromized. If Dad gets found by the bad guys, he might give away where we are. Even by accident. Aparentley wizards can read minds? That is just scary to think about. I've got to go, I'll probably end up helping them pack my Mum's stuff. I don't want to lose my father, but I can't do anything about it. Hestia assurred me that someone will keep an eye on this place in case he returns. But even if he does come back hear they'll have to be careful. It might be a trap. Hestia said it's unlikley that I'll see my father again before the war is over. If he's still alive at that time. She didn't say it, but I knew thats what she meant._

_Dudley_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal, Thursday 18/9_

_We've arrived in the new house, and its smaller. There are only two bedrooms here, I think this might be an emergency house. One that isn't meant for long term use. Mum and I are sharing a room. She still hasn't stopped crying. It's hard to get her to do anything. I think she's really upset about Dad leaving. I hate him for leaving like that. How could he? Doesn't he love us? _

_Dudley_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal, Tuesday 23/9_

_We've been in the new place for a few days now. Mum's still upset about Dad leaving, but she's trying to pretend that she's fine. I can hear her crying in bed when she thinks I'm asleep. _

_On the other side, the air isn't as tense anymore, its like with Dad leaving things have calmed down, the fright of mentoning anything magic seems to have dissappeared. _

_Maybe Hestia or Dedalus can show me some magic games? I don't know what Mum will think of that though. She's always been against magic, but not as extreme as Dad. I guess I'll find out soon enough _

_Dudley_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal,_ _Friday 3/10_

_I never knew Mum felt so bad about every thing that happened in the past. _

_She opened up about her past. I never knew she was so jealous of her sister, but hearing her side, I understand. Accorrding to her she was never good enough for her parents. she said, 'If the benchmark is extrordinary, what do you do if you're not?' Aunt Lily apparently was extrordinary, and Mum wasn't. She feels like she lost Lily twice. First when she went to Hogwarts and then again when she died. Then, having Harry dumped onto her doorstep didn't help. It reminded her that she wasn't important enough, she always had to adapt for Lily. That made her feel guilty, how could she blame Lily when she had just died. It made me think of what it would have been like if me and Harry had gotten along. Would I have come to hate him like Mum hates her sister? Or would we have ended up as good friends? Would I have turned out to be a better person or would Harry have been a worse person? I guess I'll never know. But I guess Mum tried to protect me in her own way._

_Dudley_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal, Tuesday 30/12_

_Tommorow is New Year's Eve. We've been here for 5 months now. I hope this was as they call it, is nearly over. I want to go home. Dedalus said that the lovegood home was destroyed. Not sure who they are, but it sounds as if it was a supporter for our side. Aparentley Harry and one of his friends were spotted there. Once again, no-one knows why, but we do know they escaped. Or the wizards are assuming that they have escaped. They are currently living with the 'no news is good news'. As long as they don't hear anything different they are assuming that they are safe and on the run. _

_Dudley_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal, Monday 30/3_

_They got caught, but escaped. We got news from an order member that they are now at a safe place, together with people that they rescued from one or other manor. Apparently the lovegood kid was there too. The important fact is that they are all safe. We still don't know what they are doing, or how it's going. Acording to one of the wizards, the less said, the better. I guess that makes sense if someone gets caught they can't give information away._

_Dudley_

*hphphp*

_Dear journal,_ _Friday 1/5_

_They did it again, broke in somewhere and escaped. Aparentley they broke into the bank this time. Aparentley that's something that doesn't get done in the wizard world. Only one person previously did it, but left with nothing. We don't know why they broke in or if it was a success, but Hestia's friend says they escaped on a dragon. A dragon! I'm not sure if she's pulling my leg or not. Do dragons even exist? _

_Aparentley it was known that they would leave their safe house, but not that they would break into the bank. Nobody knows what has happened to them after leaving on the dragon. _

_Wait, something's happening._

*hphphp*

_Dear journal, Saterday 2/5_

_I'm back. When I stopped writing, a white glowing mist, shaped as an animal came into the room and said, "It's happening. Hogwarts!" The wizards that were here, immediately got up and left. It's just after midnight now, and we've not heard anything since they left. Neither Mum nor I are sure what's happening. The only thing we know is that Hogwarts is the school that Harry went to. I'm scared. I hope someone will be back soon. They never all left at the same time before. Also 'it's happening' what does that mean? What is happening? I wish someone had told us what it meant, before they left. Or that we knew how long it was going to be before they are back. What do we do if they don't come back? When do we know if it's safe to leave? _

_It's early morning now, haven't heard anything yet. Hope someone updates us soon… _


End file.
